2006-09-21 15:09:07 · 16 answers · asked by stevenpdk2000 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Theory of relativity is not only E=mc^2. There are a lot of other equations, and whe nyou combine them all, then you can derive E=mc^2 as a special solution.
The central thing in relativity is that light speed is a contant. Now suppose you are on a very fast space ship (going at half the speed of light) and that you have a system to measure the speed of light of a beam comlpetely inside the ship. You are supposed to see the same speed as the very sharp eyed observer who is not moving but looking at what you are doing through your window.
Looking at what you do, the outside observer will see the light speed gong at light speed. But how can you see than as well? Either your fast speed is squishing your dimension, or your fast speed is causing you to slow down, or a combination of both (which is actually the case).
Find yourself "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" by Albert Einstein himself. It is surprisingly easy to read and understand.
2006-09-21 15:22:56 · answer #1 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are the one travelling at the speed of light, time does not slow down for you. - you just would not know until you stop and look around ... to see that everybody else has aged way more than you did while on your little trip ...
E=MC2 in fact relates mass travelling at a certain speed to an energy. This explained why we could see mercury rotating around the sun in a funny way ... not always on the same orbit like the other planets ... as mercury approach the sun while rotating, it speeds up, so much in fact that it loose mass (mass=> energy). Because it lost mass its orbit changes) and as it goes away from the sun again, it regain mass (energy=>mass) ...
2006-09-21 15:24:02 · answer #2 · answered by sebourban 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
think of it like traveling in a car. you only know you are going fast because you are looking at the trees and the scenery that is flying past you. but, the people in the car with you don't appear to be moving because they are going the same speed.
Now because light moves so fast, time appears to slow down, because you are moving a lot faster than everything else around you. That is the theory of general relativity.
the energy of an object equals the mass of an object times the speed of light squared. or the mass of an object equals the square root of its (energy divided by speed of light). the reason it is E=MC^2 is because you know what the mass of any object is...and the speed of light is a constant...
thats why E=MC^2 was necessary for "the bomb"
2006-09-21 15:26:25 · answer #3 · answered by Chit P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Energy equals mass times the square of the speed of light. This has nothing to do with time travel. It regards to the atomic theory.
2006-09-21 15:15:19 · answer #4 · answered by Eureka!!! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You say that you are trying to understand E=mc^2. That has nothing to do with your question!!
At the speed of light time stops RELATIVE to the observer. To understand why, you must study the Special theory of Relativity.
2006-09-21 22:10:40 · answer #5 · answered by clausiusminkowski 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eh, it's really complicated, but it's explained in Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Basically, he says that time is another dimension, just like our 3 physical dimensions. As you travel faster in any combination of the 3 physical dimensions, you slow down in the fourth dimension, time.
2006-09-21 15:13:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if I travel at a velocity of my walking to a cetain destination it takes time.
If I run to my destination I am moving faster but not as fast as the speed of light,it would take me less time; so by increasing my velocity I have shrunk my traveling time .I got to my destination faster.
I wish I could travel at the speed of a supersonic jet I would get to paris faster. Of course if I travelled at the speed of light my travel time would skrink practically to zero.
However; my body would breakup into its component pieces at that acceleration.So I dont recommend any one to try to move at the speed of light.
In relativity theory saying that as you travel at the speed of light your time get longer(time slow down) does defy common
experience.
For an understanding of E=mc^2 you should refer to the One who invented it, A French Genius = Henri Poincare.He published that formula in 1900.
2006-09-21 15:40:39 · answer #7 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This may sound crazy, but here's my understanding of it. Time is an aspect of the physical realm of existence. As we approach the speed of light, time slows down because we are reaching the limits of the physical realm. When the speed of light is broken, we transcend the physical, into astral dimensions of existence, and time is no longer a factor.
2006-09-21 15:17:35 · answer #8 · answered by oceansoflight777 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That has nothing to do with Einsteins theory. The theory simply states that the energy contained within an atom is equal to the atoms weight multiplied by the speed of light squared.
2006-09-21 15:12:20 · answer #9 · answered by TexasRed 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
For the second part - every object in the universe is in motion through "space-time" - the faster an object moves, the slower its time is, the slower it moves, the faster its time is - it's an inverse relationship.
2006-09-21 15:23:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋